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私人葬礼上,李显龙为爸爸致悼词(视频及中文翻译)

在万礼火化场举行的私人葬礼上,李显龙总理致悼词,回忆家庭生活温暖瞬间。令人潸然泪下。

(点击这里观看视频)

Family and Friends 家人和朋友们

We are gathered here to say our final farewells to Papa – Mr Lee Kuan Yew. After the formalities of the Lying in State and the State Funeral Service, in this final hour Papa is with his family, his friends of a lifetime, his immediate staff who served him loyally and well, his security team who kept him safe and sound, and his medical team who took such good care of him.

我们聚集在这里与向爸爸李光耀永别。在官方的公众吊唁和国葬仪式之后,在最后的一刻,爸爸与他的家人、挚友、工作人员、保安及医疗人员在一起。

So much has been said about Papa’s public life in the past few days. His public life is something we share with all of Singaporeans, with the world. But we were privileged to know him as a father, a grandfather, an elder brother, a friend, a strict but compassionate boss, the head of the family.

关于爸爸的公众生活,这几天已经说了很多。他的公众生活,就是我们与所有新加坡人以及全世界分享的那一部分。但作为家人,我们很荣幸认识他——作为我们的父亲、爷爷、兄长、朋友、严厉但有人情味的上司、以及一家之主。

Actually, Papa was the head of two families. As the eldest son, from a young age he was effectively head of his household, helping his mother – Mak – to bring up his younger brothers and sister. He remained close to them all his life. To my uncles and aunts, he was always “Kor”, never “Harry”. Sai Sok (Suan Yew) would have him over to dinner every Christmas, and Ku Cheh (Auntie Monica) would cook him his favourite dishes, and teach his cook how to do them, almost to the same standard as hers. Papa made it a point to attend the Chinese New Year reunions of the extended Lee family every year, even till last year, to catch up with his siblings, to meet his nephews and nieces, and later grand-nephews and grand-nieces. I think there are a few great grand nephews and nieces but I am not sure if they are here.

事实上,爸爸是两个家庭的一家之主。作为长子,从小他就帮助妈妈带大。一生中他都与家人们保持密切的关系。对我的叔叔和姑姑而言,他一直都是“哥”,而不是“哈里”(新加坡眼注:李光耀的英文名)。Sai Sok (李光耀的弟弟Suan Yew)每年圣诞节都邀请爸爸去他家吃饭,Ku Cheh (Auntie Monica)会为他做他喜欢的菜,还会教(李光耀的)厨师怎么做这道菜,做出来几乎与她的水平一样标准。每年春节除夕团圆饭,爸爸也都坚持与整个李家大家庭相聚,和弟妹们聊天,看看侄儿和侄女们,侄孙儿和侄孙女等,一直到去年。我想,可能已经有一些曾侄孙或曾侄孙女,但我不确定他们在不在(年夜饭团聚)。

Pa was also head of his own family – my mother and the three children. He had plunged deep into politics by the time we arrived. In fact, the day I was born, when he visited Mama and the new baby in Kandang Kerbau Hospital. Instead of talking about the baby, he told her how he was going to represent the postmen’s union in their dispute with the government. This was the postmen’s strike which first made his name and launched him into active politics. So day to day Mama ran the household, brought us up, saw to our schooling. But Papa set the tone, tracked our progress, and made the big decisions. He sent us to a Chinese school; he started us on Malay lessons with Cikgu Amin, wife is Cikgu Jamilah; he encouraged Yang and me to take up SAF Scholarships, to serve the nation; he persuaded Ling to become a doctor instead of a vet. He set us on the path to make our own marks in the world, and we are grateful.

爸爸也是自己家庭——我妈妈和三个孩子的一家之主。他已投身政界,当我们出生时。事实上,我出生的那天,在他到竹脚医院看妈妈和当时还是婴儿的我,他告诉她他将代表邮政电信工会,与政府谈判。因为邮差罢工事件,他第一次出名,从那时起他便一直活跃于政坛。妈妈开始操持家务,抚养我们长大,教育我们。但爸爸来决定事情的基调,追踪事情的进展,做重要的决定。他把我们送进华校;但也同时让我们学马来语,他鼓励扬(李显扬)和我申请SAF奖学金并为国效劳;他说服玲(李玮玲)当医生治病救人而不是兽医。我们感激他让我们走在这世界上都走了适合自己而且留下印记的道路。

We are also grateful that Papa guided and nurtured us to grow up into normal, well-adjusted people, even though we were the Prime Minister’s children, always in the spotlight, in every danger of being spoilt, indulged, and led astray. He and Mama decided that we would stay in Oxley Road and not move to Sri Temasek, lest we grow up thinking that the world owed us a living. He made sure we did not get the wrong ideas – no inflated sense of self; never to be inconsiderate to others; not to throw our weight around. We may not always have done it right, but we were never left in any doubt as to what was the right way to behave.

我们也很感激爸爸引导我们,把我们培养成正常,能够适应环境的人。尽管我们是总理的孩子,一直处在聚光灯下,随时都有可能被宠坏、放纵自己、误入歧途。他和妈妈决定我们继续住在欧思礼路(Oxley Road),而不是搬到斯里淡马锡(Sri Temasek),以免我们在成长的过程中觉得这个世界亏欠了我们。他确保我们没有错误的观念:不会自我膨胀、不会不替别人着想,也不会仗势欺人。我们虽然不是每次都做对,但我们从来没有怀疑什么才是正确的行为举止。

He took pride in us children. When I learned to ride a bicycle, he was there. Once when I was just getting the hang of balancing on two wheels, he pushed me off from behind to get me started. I pedalled off across the field, thinking that he was still supporting and pushing me. Then I looked back after a few minutes and and few seconds later I found that actually he had let go, and I was cycling on my own! He was so pleased, and so was I.

他为我们这些孩子感到骄傲。我学习骑自行车时,他陪着我。有一次我正在学习平衡两个轮子时,他从后面推着我,让我开始骑。我就一直骑,以为他还在一直扶着我。几分钟后我回头看菜发现他已经放手,我就这样学会了自己骑车!他很开心,我也是。

Like all good fathers, Pa continued to be there for us, even after we grew up. When Yang and I got married, he wrote us long and thoughtful letters sharing advice on how to make our marriages successful. Precious lessons drawn from his own long and very happy marriage with Ma.

像所有好爸爸一样,爸爸一直都在我们身边,即使在我们长大成人后。我和扬(已故的李显龙夫人,黄名扬)结婚时,他写了很长的经过深思熟虑的信给我们,与我们分享怎样能让婚姻成功。这是他与母亲长久且幸福的婚姻中吸取的宝贵经验。

After Ming Yang died, and especially before I remarried, he and Mama spent time with our two little children Xiuqi and Yipeng, then still infants, to fill the gap and help bring them up. They took them for walks after dinner every night in the Istana. He was not an indulgent grandfather, but a loving one. There is a photo of Pa with the four grandsons, who were then toddlers, blowing soap bubbles in the garden in front of Sri Temasek.

名扬去世之后,尤其是在我再婚之前,他和妈妈都花时间陪伴当时还是小孩的修齐和毅鹏(名扬生下的两个孩子),帮助我们度过难关,抚养孩子长大。他们每晚在总统府吃完晚餐后都带两个孩子出去散步。他不是一个溺爱孙子的爷爷,但是一个疼爱他们的祖父。有一张爸爸和四个孙子一起拍的照片,他们一起在Sri Temasek花园吹肥皂泡。

When I was undergoing chemotherapy for lymphoma, Papa once rang up all the way from the Philippines. He was on some official trip. He called back and I thought it was something important. But actually he called to say he had arranged to send me some durians. He wanted to make sure I was properly nourished during my chemotherapy.

我患淋巴癌并接受化疗时,爸爸有一次从菲律宾特意打电话给我。当时他正在官方访问。我以为是什么重要的公事。但他只是想告诉我,他安排送榴莲给我。他想确认治疗期间我的营养充足。

Pa was happy that all three children grew up to be successful and responsible people, contributing to society in our different ways. A few months after I became Prime Minister, he wrote me a letter on his Minister Mentor letterhead. It may be the only letter I will receive from him on that letterhead. It read: “These are mock-ups of my Christmas and New Year cards for the year 2005. The photograph after the swearing-in at the Istana records a memorable evening in my life. Have you any amendments or comments?” The photo was of me shaking hands congratulating him, I as the new Prime Minister and he as the new Minister Mentor and President S R Nathan looking. Naturally I replied that I agreed and had no amendments. He was proud of his son, but he wanted to do things in the proper way, as always.

爸爸很高兴自己的三个孩子都成为成功并有责任心的人,通过我们不同的方式,为社会做贡献。在我接任总理后几个月,他用他内阁资政(Minister Mentor)的信纸,写给我一封信。这可能是我唯一一次接到他用内阁资政信纸发给我的信。信是这样写的:“这是我为2005年圣诞贺卡和新年贺卡准备的样本。这是在总统府宣誓就职之后拍下的照片,记录了我一生中非常有意义的夜晚。你要修改或评论吗?”照片拍摄的是我和他握手,我成为新任总理,并祝贺父亲成为内阁资政,纳丹总统作为见证人。当然,我回信说完全同意,没有要改动的地方。他为儿子感到骄傲,但还是和一直以来一样,按照合适的方式做事情。

He continued to teach us lessons in life even into his later years. We learnt from watching him grow old with Mama. She meant the world to him, as he to her. They delighted in each other’s company. After Ma’s stroke in 2003, he nursed her back to health, encouraged her to exercise and stay active, and continued to take her on trips abroad. He even learnt to measure her blood pressure using a traditional sphygmomanometer and stethoscope, and faithfully did this twice a day, everyday and emailed her results and report to her doctors. He would tell her: “Life is an endless series of adjustments. As you grow older, you adjust. Think how lucky we are and how much worse off we could be. Always look on the bright side of things”.

后来,他继续教导我们。我们也在看着他和妈妈变老时学到很多。她就是他的世界,他对她也一样。他们为陪伴彼此而开心。2003年妈妈中风之后,他护理她直到她恢复健康,鼓励她运动,继续带她一起出国。他学习用传统血压计和听诊器帮她量血压,每天都严格遵守规定量血压两次,写邮件汇报给医生。他告诉她:“人生就是一直调整。随着你慢慢变老,你得调节。想想我们多幸运,以及我们可能发生更坏的情况。看事情好的一面。”

Mama’s passing five years ago was a huge blow to him. But the pictures of them together kept Papa company, to remind him of their 63 happy years together.

妈妈五年前去世这件事对他打击很大。但他们的合照陪着爸爸,提醒他二人曾经63年的快乐时光。

All his life, Pa kept up with his old friends – Yong Pung How, Chia Chwee Leong, Hon Sui Sen, and after Sui Sen died his widow Annie. As the years went by, their number dwindled.

一辈子,爸爸都与老朋友保持联系—Yong Pung How, Chia Chwee Leong, Hon Sui Sen, 包括 Sui Sen 离世后,他的遗孀 Annie。随着岁月的流逝,好友也越来越少。

In recent years, he would occasionally host dinners for his tutors, doctors, his staff and friends, usually at Raffles Hotel, courtesy of Jennie Chua, in order to stay in touch and show his appreciation. And every fortnight or so Kim Li, his niece, on my mother’s side, would take him out for meals, and for a change of surroundings. They would go to Underwater World Sentosa, or to Changi Airport to see progress on Project Jewel or for a boat ride in the harbour. He enjoyed the outings and the company. A few other friends would join in, and take turns to host him – Wai Keung, Stephen Lee, Ong Beng Seng, Liew Mun Leong, Peter Seah, Robert Ng, among others. We are grateful to Kim Li, and to them.

近几年,他偶尔设宴,通常是在莱佛士酒店,邀请导师、医生、员工和朋友们吃饭,维系感情的同时表达他对他们的感激。每两周,他的外甥女 Kim Li 也会带他出去吃饭,为了给他换个环境。他们去圣淘沙海底世界,或到樟宜机场看看正在修建的“宝石计划”,或到港口坐船。他很享受这些出游和陪伴。有时候会有其他朋友加入,轮流招待他。

I would also like to thank the medical team of doctors, nurses, and physio­therapists, led by Professor Fong Kok Yong, for taking such good care of my father. You have been competent, dedicated, and compassionate. Pa used to say that his father lived till 94 and his mother till 73. So if he made it to the average of these two ages, he would count himself lucky, and anything more would be a bonus. Pa was lucky to have such a great medical team taking care of him, and he enjoyed many bonus years, and we were lucky to enjoy him for many bonus years too.

我也要感谢由冯国荣教授领导的医疗团队,所有的医生、护士们,你们非常能干、勇于献身,也有怜悯之心,将我的父亲照顾得非常好。爸爸常说,他的父亲活到94岁,他母亲活到73岁,如果他能活到平均岁数,就算很幸运了,之后的每一年都是额外馈赠。爸爸是非常幸运的,有你们这个非常专业的医疗团队照顾,让他享受很多额外的人生岁月,我们也同样很幸运能与他再一起分享这些额外的日子。

For many years, Yang has made it a custom to host a family dinner at his home on our parents’ birthdays. On Pa’s 90th birthday, we had our usual cosy meal. I was taking pictures at the dinner table. Pa gave a radiant smile. I decided to soak in the moment and not grab my camera and scramble to capture the photo. So I do not have a photo but I have a memory that will be there forever.

这么多年来,显扬都会在父母亲生日时,让我们到他家吃晚饭相聚。爸爸90岁生日时,我们和往年一样一起吃饭。我在餐桌前拍照,爸爸笑容灿烂。我沉浸在那一刻,却没拿起相机拍下那一幕。所以我没有那张照片,但那一刻将永远在我的记忆中。

Thank you to the Security Command team who have protected my father. You not only ensured his security, but were always by his side, round the clock, beyond the call of duty. You became friends, and almost part of the family. Thanks particularly to the SOs who served as coffin bearers just now, for carrying my father today, on his last journey. And to the pall bearers here at Mandai, who were the SOs, doctors and nurses, for doing my father this honour.

感谢保护我父亲的护卫团队。你们不只保护他安全,还一直守护在他身边。你们是朋友,也几乎是我们家庭成员。特别感谢刚才扶灵的护卫,谢谢你们今天陪爸爸走完最后一程。也谢谢万礼的护卫、医生和护士们,为我爸爸完成最后的荣誉。

Thank you also to Papa’s personal staff, especially Lin Hoe and YY, who have served him for more than 20 years each. Lin Hoe, his Private Secretary, helped to take care of my father in the office. YY did much more than would be expected of a Press Secretary. She made the video you saw earlier, before the service started and it was a labour of love.

也要感谢为他服务了超过20年的贴身工作人员们。私人秘书Lin Hoe,一直协助我父亲办公室内的事情。YY则做了很多超出一个新闻秘书应该做的事。她制作的刚才在仪式开始前大家观看的影片。

I would also like to thank my sister Ling, who lived with Papa in Oxley Road, and did so much to help take care of him. You were not only his daughter, but also his doctor, one of them. You were his close companion throughout. You travelled with him, watched over him closely, and made sure he got medical treatment in time when problems were brewing and before any disaster could happen. You took on more than your fair share of our filial duties. Thank you, Ling.

我也要感谢妹妹,玲。她和父亲一起住在欧思礼路,为了照顾父亲付出了很多。你不只是他的女儿,也是他的医生。你至始至终都一直陪伴和照顾他。爸爸出国你都一起陪伴,观察他的情况,确保在严重问题发生之前就让他接受治疗。你分担了很多额外的,我们应该分担去尽的孝道。谢谢你,玲。

Finally, I want to thank the dedicated grassroots volunteers from Teck Ghee and Tanjong Pagar. You have served for many years on the ground, helping Mr Lee and me to look after our residents. Over this last week, you have helped take care of arrangements and guests at the private wake at Sri Temasek, as well as the State Funeral Service and this Cremation Service today. My family and I are deeply grateful.

最后,我想要感激德义区和丹戎巴葛区的义工。你们多年来在服务百姓,帮李光耀先生和我照顾百姓。过去这一周,你们帮忙妥当地安排和照顾那些出席斯里淡马锡私人丧礼的来宾以及帮忙今天举行的国葬仪式,以及现在的火化仪式。我的家人和我深表感激。

When we are young, we think our parents will always be there. After we grow up, as we watch them age and grow frail, we know rationally that one day we will have to say farewell, yet emotionally we find it hard to imagine it happening. Then one day our parents are really gone, and so we are left with a sense of loss and pain. That is the human condition.

当我们还年轻,我们以为父母一直都会在那里。长大后,看着他们老去,我们理性上知道,早晚有一天我们得和他们告别。但情感上,我们总是很难去想象这件事发生。终于有一天,父母离开,留给我们失落和痛苦。

Papa had thought long and hard about this, as he had about many things. When preparing what to say today, I remembered that once upon a time he had made a speech about growing old and dying, to a gathering of doctors. I asked for it. Nobody else remembered it, except Janadas so that gave me confidence that I had not imagined it. We searched for the speech, and eventually after heroic effort, YY found it. Papa had made it to a congress of cardiologists, very long ago – in fact in 1972, 43 years ago! I must have read it at the time, and it left such an impression on me that I remembered it across four decades – or it could be I am just growing old and remembering long ago things.

爸爸曾经深思。在准备今天的讲话时,我想起他曾经做过的有关老去和死亡的演讲。我问了身边的人,找了很久,云英终于找到了这份演讲稿——很久以前,1972年,爸爸为心脏专科医生们演讲。43年前,我一定读过这篇讲稿,并且对它留下很深的印象,40年后我都还记得,也许是因为我自己也正在变老,所以想起很久以前的事。

I re-read the speech with delight. It was vintage Lee Kuan Yew – thoughtful, erudite, elegant, witty, but with a deeper point. Sadly, nobody makes such after-dinner speeches like that anymore. He titled it “Life is better when it is short, healthy and full”. He talked about cardiac health, decrepitude, the right to die, advanced medical directives (even though the term had not yet been invented), and much more. You have to read the full speech yourself, because it is impossible to summarise and it is well worth reading. But I will just share one quote: “Life is better short, healthy and full than long, unhealthy and dismal. We all have to die. I hope mine will be painless. As de Gaulle said: ‘Never fear, even de Gaulle must die’, and he did.”

我重新读这份讲稿。深思熟虑、博学、优雅、睿智,有深度的李光耀。很悲伤的是,已经没有人可以再做出这样的晚餐后的演讲。讲稿题目是“生命若短暂、健康、充实,就更美好”。内容是心脏健康、衰老、死的权利等等。这份演讲稿必须自己读,因没有办法提要。我只想分享其中一句话:“生命最好是短暂、健康和充实的,而不是漫长、疾病缠身和凄凉的。我们都终有一死。我希望自己的是无痛的。就如戴高乐(de Gaulle)所说:‘不要惧怕,连戴高乐都得死’,而他也真的死了。”

Papa had a long and full life. He was healthy, active and vigorous, until advanced old age. He used to say that life is a marathon, not a sprint. Papa’s marathon is done. He went away peacefully. He will leave a big hole in our lives, and in our hearts. But his values, his love, and his words – these will stay with us, inspire us, and live on in us for a long, long time.

爸爸很长寿,也很充实。他一直都很健康、充满活力,直到他最后非常老的时候。他曾说过,生命是马拉松,不是短跑。爸爸的马拉松跑完了。他安详地离开了。他将在我们的生命中和心里留下缺口。但是,他的价值观,他的爱,他的语录——都会长久地与我们同在,给我们启发。

Farewell, and rest in peace, Papa.永别了,安息吧,爸爸。

(新加坡眼整理翻译,英文原文及视频来源于PMO)